1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for transporting a bobbin between a winder and spinning frame.
2. Prior Art
In a so-called fine spinning winder which includes a spinning frame and a winder directly interconnected to each other, a cop which has a yarn wound up on a bobbin by the spinning frame is supplied to the winder, at which the yarn is unwound therefrom onto a package and thus the cop is emptied into a bobbin. The thus emptied bobbin is then returned to the spinning frame again. As means for transporting such cops and bobbins, it is advantageous to employ a conveyor system, and thus various conveyor systems have been proposed so far which include, for example, a type in which cops are transported in a laid down condition on a conveyor, another type in which cops are fitted erectly on pegs of a conveyor for transportation thereof, and a further type in which empty bobbins are also placed similarly on a conveyor for transportation thereof.
Normally, fly wastes are afloat in the air in a spinning mill where bobbins are transported by means of a conveyor, and such fly wastes do not cause trouble while bobbins are being transported. But, for example, when a conveyor comes to stop because of power failure or because of suspension of operation of a spinning mill in the night-time and such stopping continues for a long time, fly wastes afloat in the air are accummulated on the conveyor and also on bobbins placed on the thus stopped conveyor.
Particularly in a place where a number of spinning frames are installed, fly wastes scattered from drafted fibers float in a large amount in the air. As a result, a large amount of fly wastes come to accummulate on a belt conveyor for transporting bobbins to be returned from a winder, and thus bobbins are supplied to a fine spinning unit with fly wastes adhered thereto. Accordingly, some fly wastes remain adhered to a yarn wound up onto a package, resulting in deterioration of quality of yarns obtained.
In the transporting means of the type in which bobbins are placed directly on a belt conveyor for transportation thereof, the conveyor which transport bobbins to a desired bobbin processing station is disposed to extend in a horizontal or inclined direction above a machine, that is, at a vertical position spaced above floor level by a particular distance which is at least greater than the stature of an operator in order to make effective use of a spacing.
In this case, bobbins must necessarily be lifted to the conveyor at such a height. To this end, an additional conveyor may be provided which circulates in a vertical plane, or otherwise, chuck devices adapted to individually grasp bobbins thereof may be provided which are arranged for movement along a vertically extending guide rail. Accordingly, the means in question requires a transporting device which circulates in a horizontal direction as mentioned above, and a device for transporting bobbins in a vertical direction, and hence it further requires provision of independent drive sources for such transporting devices. As a result, construction of the arrangement inevitably becomes complicated, and besides it is necessary to pay attention to smooth transportation also at a station at which bobbins are transferred from vertical to horizontal transportation.